There has been a series of articles posted on TV Guide . com by Liz Raftery in the last two weeks. We will post the other interviews with Alex on a later stage as well, but I thought it might be good to start here with the latest one with Executive Producer Peter Lenkov. I am not going to post all my thoughts on it yet, but I always try to stay mindful that journalists add their own headline spin in articles to get noticed ……..

But reading between the lines, and on the lines, and with the lines of all the articles; all does not seem to be 100% in the Hawaiian Paradise at the moment.

My only thought for the moment is that everybody, Alex included, at first ignored his injuries and dependency on painkillers at the end of 2011 – beginning 2012. That nearly ruined the show and Alex’s career and health. This time Alex is acknowledging his injuries and apparently addressing it – Will, or are the Network and Producers supporting Alex properly and urgently this time, or not …….. ?

Alex – September 2010

Alex O’Loughlin, who plays Lt. Comm. Steve McGarrett on Hawaii Five-0, has hinted that the eighth season of the show (which is currently in the middle of its seventh) would be his last. While manyFive-0 fans can’t imagine the show continuing without its star, showrunner Peter Lenkov has a different take.

“As long as people are watching the show, we would keep going,”Lenkov tells TVGuide.com. “If Alex elects not to come back, that’s obviously going to be his choice. But we’re moving forward as if the show’s going to keep going. In addition, contrary to O’Loughlin’s statements that the relationship between McGarrett and Catherine (Michelle Borth) reached its endpoint in last week’s episode, Lenkov says there’s more story to be told for the two characters.

“We’re not looking at it as being finished,”Lenkov says. “It’s just a story we’re telling along the way. …. There’s fans of the show that either love [Catherine] or hate her, and they’re very vocal, both sides. But we always saw Catherine being a part of the entire arc of this franchise.”

Tonight’s episode of Hawaii Five-0 features a big revelation that will put Grover (Chi McBride) and Danny (Scott Caan) in an awkward position. Read our full Q&A with Lenkov and co-showrunner Eric Guggenheim to find out what’s ahead for them, as well as a few teases about a “big cliffhanger” coming up in the midseason finale.

TVGuide.com: Danny discovers that his daughter Grace is dating Grover’s son Will this week. What can you tease about that episode?

Peter Lenkov: We had hoped it was going to be a surprise, but the promo department let that surprise out. We’ve sort of built up this idea up over a couple of episodes of [Danny’s daughter] Grace having a boyfriend and nobody knowing who it is.

TVGuide.com: Does the discovery make things awkward for Danny and Grover?

Eric Guggenheim: It does. Danny’s reaction, it’s not quite what you expect, but it’s a very juicy situation, because we have these two guys who are friends but they’re also very protective of their children. It sort of puts them at odds, at least in this coming episode. It’s something that we’re going to continue to explore for the rest of the season, really.

Lenkov: I think Danny’s just relieved that he knows who it is. I think it was more stressful not knowing who the guy was, and I think he’s very relieved to know that he knows the kid. Because he thinks that Will, Grover’s son, is a good kid, and if [Grace] is gonna be with anybody, he would be a good influence on her.

Danny still treats his daughter like she’s really that little 7-year-old, and Grover treats his son as a young man. That’s the key difference. [Grover’s] looking at [Will] wherever he is age-wise and treating him like an adult, and Danny still wants to hang on to the young little girl that Grace was, and is having trouble adjusting to the fact that she’s actually becoming a teenager and becoming a young adult.

Lenkov: It’s become a big storyline for us, Chin’s relationship with Sara. … The story doesn’t end, but the story takes a very interesting turn. It’s for sure something that not only plays very big in the next batch of episodes, but is going to play through the end of the season as well.

TVGuide.com: Is there anything significant coming up for Adam (Ian Anthony Dale) and Kono (Grace Park)?

Lenkov: We’re going to do a few more episodes with Adam, and we’re hoping to involve him a lot more next season.

TVGuide.com: What other big episodes do you have coming up before the end of the year?

Guggenheim: In Episode 10, we’re going to meet one of Danny’s sisters [played by Missy Peregrym].

Lenkov: She’s not involved in a crime or anything, but she’s in Hawaii with her company that she works for on a corporate retreat. And we do an emotional story between her and Danny, which seems like it’s going to be fun. … We’re building to a pretty big midseason finale cliffhanger in Episode 11. We’ve never really done that, by the way, sort of end on a cliffhanger midseason. So we’re trying that this year.

TVGuide.com: Who does the cliffhanger relate to?

Lenkov: One Chin Ho Kelly.

TVGuide.com: Alex O’Loughlin has indicated that Season 8 would be his last. Do you know why he would say that? Have you had a conversation about an end date for the show?

Lenkov: Positioning himself for a better deal? I don’t know. We always saw it as, honestly, as long as people are watching the show, we would keep going. If Alex elects not to come back, that’s obviously going to be his choice. But we’re moving forward as if the show’s going to keep going. I’m pretty certain that we’re going to at least have one more year. Even if we did end [with] Season 8, the idea of doing eight seasons on a reboot of a show is pretty spectacular. But we’re planning on moving forward.

We’ve had no conversations with him. Sometimes when you get to this part of the season, exhaustion sets in, especially when you’re celebrating the 150th episode. But some of that could be just being tired, a product of the fact that you haven’t had a lot of time off. But yeah, we’re moving forward as if we’ll be on the air for hopefully more than another year.

TVGuide.com: If Alex did leave, would you continue the show without McGarrett?

Lenkov: Oh yeah, for sure. Over the years, we’ve built such a strong family … Clearly, there’s the Danny/McGarrett relationship, and McGarrett is such a strong character, and the franchise was built on the shoulders of McGarrett. But I think episodes that have McGarrett playing lesser of a role, and we sort of put other characters forward, I think they do just as well and I think people really like the family that we’ve built. So, yeah, if it comes to that, there’s still life after that character. But nobody’s looking forward to that happening. We’re all hoping he stays.

48 responses to “​Would #H50 Continue Without #AlexOLoughlin ?”

I have felt for the last couple of weeks that Alex has been trying to get someone’s attention with the things he’s said in interviews. I’m wondering if that someone is Lenkov, who’s been busy for the past few months with “McGyver.” We have never really heard Alex complain before, and I’ve been struck by the fact that he sounds bitter in these interviews. No matter what Lenkov tries to say now, what he said in the interview about continuing the show without Alex, the jab about money, and the Catherine storyline sounds like Lenkov trying to put Alex back in his place. It’s Lenkov saying he is still the boss. And Lenkov has blocked some fans who confronted him about it on Twitter during a little ve tweet session Friday night during the show. I’m really concerned that there’s big trouble. I also really wonder about the PR people for the show and the network. This might just be considered buzz, and any publicity is good publicity, but I’m surprised they’d allow Alex to continue voicing his unhappiness in several interviews, and that Peter would say what he did. The whole thing is troubling.

I agree with everything you say, SanDee. And it’s striking to me that Peter never mentions Alex’ injuries or offers any words of comfort or understanding, no mention of accommodating his injuries by writing the scripts differently. That’s pretty cold. I agree, where are the PR people for the show? Poor Alex. Who did all the publicity for the 150th episode? Alex! Did any other cast member do interviews? No, Alex had to to all of them, which is exhausting, on top of being in pain and putting in really long hours, he has to put in even more hours doing publicity, all alone.

It’s gonna be a really long year and a half for Alex, if he does work through Season 8. Maybe they’re writing an injury for Steve into the show, so that Alex can rest. We may see more episodes focusing on the rest of the cast. People here may not be too happy, but if it really gives Alex a break so that he can rest, then we should be glad they’re doing it. I liked him being silly at the poker table. I love silly, funny, goofy Steve/Alex. He’s hilarious. So, here’s hoping Peter, the producers and CBS are helping Alex recuperate so that he can continue to be Steve McGarrett.

If Scott leaves this year and then Alex leaves, and they try to do the show without Alex, I’m outa here. No more Hawaii Five-O for me. A Steve McGarrettless Five-O will limp along for a year and then be cancelled. It won’t work. But I guess egomaniac Peter will have to learn this the hard way.

I think there is trouble in Paradise aswell I found the article in TV Guide were PL talk about continue the show without Alex a slap in Alex face he was rude towards Alex IMO! Alex has carried this show for 7 seasons he is H5O and without him this show will be dead. Along the way something most be happend between PL and Alex I think Alex is done with the whole Catherine relationship which I can’t blame him. Alex sees more in a relationship between Steve and Alicia you could read that between the lines in his interviews. I also see that Peter put Chin more in front of center this season my bet is that Peter will replace Steve (if Alex indeed will leave the show) with Chin as the new leader. I love Chin but he never will be the new Steve and leader of H5O Peter needs to listen to Alex and what his thoughts are about the future of H5O maybe then Alex will reconsider his decision.

The first time I read Peter’s interview I was really mad about the way he talked about Alex.
It sounded like if he thought that the show could easily go on without him, and I think that’s impossible.
I don’t think Five 0 could (or should) continue without Alex.
McGarrett is the heart and soul of the show, Alex is McGarrett, without them the show would flop.
The fandom wouldn’t accept a replacement for the character, that would be impossible and if McGarrett somehow exits then there would be no McDanno either, another big chunk of the fandom gone.
No McGarrett no McRoll either, more fans gone.

I think Scott would leave too if Alex left so the show would be left with Grover and Chin, which are not enough for making it successful. If they brought in another leader the main fandom, who watches for Alex would leave, the show would flop for sure.
I wouldn’t watch without Alex.
In my opinion better for the show to end in a good way, with all the characters that made it successful rather than fade away and turning into crap.

I think Peter didn’t like the way Alex talked about McRoll and reacted like “I’m the boss, I decide”.

I think his comment about Alex threatening to leave to get a better deal was more like a joke.
In interviews many things are said and sometimes they are printed out of context and they sound worse than what they really are.

Peter tweeted yesterday saying that he didn’t mean what people understood, he didn’t mean that Alex is replaceable and that he is bluffing just to get more money.
He asked people to not read too much between the lines. He said that at the end of the interview he clearly says that he hopes Alex won’t leave.

I think the only disagreement they have is about the McRoll storyline.
When Alex gave those interviews he was hurt physically and tired and probably sounded more negative than what the reality is.

Hopefully things are better that what they sound.

I have met Peter in person at SOTB, and he seems a nice guy that cares about the fans, he brought over water, donuts and prices, he didn’t have to do all that.

I think the press makes everything blow up for sensation and sometimes fans create even more drama.

After a first disappointed reaction I decided to give Peter the benefit of the doubt and hope for the best.
I still don’t like his obsession with Cath but it is his vision and I’ll have to deal with it.

Actually I think the two men have had more than 1 disagreement over plots. Alex was very excited about the PTSD story, which he suggested to the show, and they were building it up a bit when they suddenly dropped it…we saw one last scene of it in the cut scenes on the S 4 video I think, but never again pursued or brought to finish on Show. I have a feeling that wasn’t the first time he had ideas that were dismissed.

He also was very gung ho on McRoll…and spoke happily about it in interviews, they’re living together, great character work, blah blah. Then suddenly Cath disappeared over whatever issues the actress was having. The resulting McRoll that we’ve had ever since has satisfied neither the fans that love her nor those who hate her, and I’m sure it is hard for an actor to play this…Cath is over…surprise Cath is back and McRoll is on…Cath is over…surprise Cath is back BS.

Alex loves character work, he is less in love with the SuperHero work. And it’s apparently taken a toll as well. I think he loves McG, but wishes to see and play more than bad ass McG…he’s tired and hurt and bored by all the bad ass McG. And he’s disappointed there hasn’t been more, more character work. And apparently PL doesn’t much chat with him or seek his advice.

Btw, back when Show started, Alex was looking forward to being named a producer by S6…which gives a little more money and some ability to suggest ideas about Show. Apparently that never happened…and I do wonder why. It is common for the star to eventually be named a producer. That may have a hand here as well.

Yes, I have been wondering many times why Alex (and Scott) never became producers, it is unusual.
Their creative input would have helped the show to be better.
If there is a S8 at least I hope that Alex will be granted his wish to direct an episode, that would be very interesting for him to do and for us to see.

Good point about the PTSD storyline. Alex did mention in one of his interviews storylines are brought up then left on the shelf to be picked up later then not. Must be frustrating.
Also hope he gets the chance to direct

If they’d given Alex an ongoing PTSD storyline, the guy might have been nominated for an Emmy or a Golden Globe. It’s a real and devastating psychological condition which plagues hundreds of thousands of soldiers and the show could have told a great story which would enlighten us about the condition. Alex was extraordinary in the episode when he killed Wo Fat and in other episodes where Steve McGarrett has revealed his feelings. Alex has to play the character so shut down emotionally that he’s never allowed to show us his full range as an actor.

Seven long years of never being heard and never getting the story lines you’d like to play could leave Alex defeated, depressed and basically bitter. Your heart’s not in it anymore. When you read his early interviews from the first and second year, and then you read these interviews, wow, he’s really changed. And when you’re in pain, it exhausts and depresses you, so we could just be hearing from a very tired and hurting Alex. I so want to put my arms around him and give him a huge hug. “We’re with you, Alex.” Sounds like his fan base is getting really pissed off at Peter. Good for them!!! And thanks to everyone here who’s out there giving Alex emotional support on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. He sounds pretty abandoned in the interviews.

Something strange went on behind the scenes with the whole Catherine storyline. I was never a Steve/Catherine fan. I didn’t sense any real chemistry there. But Michelle Borth seems to be a real piece of work. Her “Twitter war” with fans has been covered extensively so no need to go into it here. But I thought at the time that it must have been very distressing to Alex, who has always had a great rapport with fans. To be frank, I do not think he likes working with Michelle as a result. That’s probably another reaso he’s ready to be done with that storyline. And when he said it was over in recent interviews, Lenkov pushed back with his “I am still the boss” interview. Lenkov has been all McGyver, all the time for the past 6 months. I’ve gotten tired of his constant tweeting about it and very little about H50. In my opinion, Lenkov should be mending fences with Alex, not taking potshots in interviews.

That’s a good point–Peter IS the producer, it’s his show and his vision. That has to be respected. But so does Alex’s contribution. I’m sure Peter respects Alex as a person and as an actor. A big problem IMO is constant communication between Lenkov and various factions of the fandom. Some, like the McRollins fans, have literally demanded for him to put Steve and Catherine together. Others demand for Steve and Danny to be together. Then Lenkov talks out of both sides of his mouth trying to appease everyone. Yes, Catherine will be back; no, it won’t be a romantic situation; no, the story is not over. Since when do fans control what happens in a show? It’s the producer’s vision. This trying to please all fans thing is, I think, one of the main sources of trouble between Alex and Peter.

Peter Lenkov’s comments are out of line – especially when says AOL is trying to broker a better deal. Alex does not strike me as a person, who would use such tactics. He is expressing his opinion, and Peter Lenkov does not seem to take it seriously. I would not watch the show without Alex’ character, because, for me, it has always been centered around the core four. And Scott shoots five episodes less than Alex per season, so that leaves a huge void, if Alex departs.
I hope they listen to his concerns and take them seriously. If he really is done, then end the show properly. Otherwise make changes to lighten the load. But please don’t jump the shark.

When I read the article I found the comment by Lenkov that Alex was positioning himself for more money quite insulting.
When you have a lead actor who has carried the show for 7 seasons his opinions must count for something. Lenkov is not listening and hearing what Alex is saying. He is too obsessed with MacGyver and Cath.
Some fans have suggested Lenkov wanting to put Michelle Borth in Alex’s place. The franchise was and is built around McGarrett. If that ends the show ends. I don’t believe the other actors will continue if Alex leaves. I want him to continue and hope he is given more time to heal. I’d rather see him doing less in the episodes than not at all.

I’m not surprised that the top brass thinks they can go on with Alex. It’s that way in every employer/employee relationship. However, in this case, Alex “IS” the show. This is not to say that the other actors aren’t great – they are – but Steve McGarrett is H50 and Alex is the only McG that the fans will accept. I totally agree that Scott will walk if Alex does. It’s well known that he is not a fan of island living. To be honest, the story lines have been lackluster ever since they killed off Wo Fat. I also don’t understand PL’s obsession with McRoll either. It’s clear that this team is incapable of writing any type of romance for more that 1-2 episodes. I think it’s time to put this baby to bed. I want to see Alex do something else. I feel like his talents are being wasted on H50.

Quite frankly I lost all respect for Mr. Lenkov. He devalued AOL’s dedication and commitment to his show big time. The man who carried his show for 7 years now. The man who never phoned it in, who never let the fans down, who always was concerned about the whole team. And even if – and I doubt it – PL’s comment about Alex positioning himself to get a better deal was a joke, he has to apologize. Either way. But I don’t think he gets it. All the years he praised every single guest actor, even the smallest appearances, but his lead actor? Not so much. Took him for granted, was jealous, whatever, I don’t know.
And now he blocks everyone who does not praise him? Wow, what an adult person… not. Did not see him explain anything as he said he has.
People love Alex, him not so much at the moment. Deal with it! And if he thinks H50 can go on without Alex he has lost all touch with reality and the fandom.

I don’t care much for how PL talked about his mane character. Very disrespectful. If Alex leaves the show it will tank and myself and a few other friends I have will not watch either. I think PL has just paid way too much attention to his new show and all but dissed all over Hawaii 5 0. Personally if I were Alex I’d be pissed by that. PL is the one who wanted Alex from the start, he should be thanking Alex for all the success he has brought to the show and his dedication out ways everyone’s! I too am tired of the whole McRoll think, although I am one of few who likes them together, it’s enough already!!! I hate that they don’t continue what they start, like last week’s with Doris, so what else is in the journal she left for him to read!! Drives me insane having things hanging from one season to the next. Deal with with it I one season and move on!!

You got that right!! And for anyone to suggest it would survive without him is ridiculous! Scott would leave if Alex leaves, I can almost 100% guarantee that! He does 5 less shows now! So who exactly is going to watch a Five O without McGarrett and Danno? What Peter said was very respectful IMO.

Since I’ve been coming on this site for the last few months I’ve realized what it is I like about the character of Steve. It is the actors ability to emote without saying a word. He’s certainly made the tough no-nonsense former Navy Seal more human. Although the character is tough on the outside you can see that he is a sensitive caring man on the inside thanks to Alex’s acting ability. However since I read about episode 150 I’ve been extremely vocal about my feelings posting on several different boards. My major problem with the McRoll relationship now is that it seems like they are intent on emasculating or neutering the character of Steve by continuing this relationship after she’s lied to him on several occasions knowing he has abandonment and trust issues. It would not be true to the character to have him continue to take her back, which Alex has in so many words voiced recently. After reading PL’s latest comments I almost immediately posted on another site. What he said about Alex angling for a better contract was insulting and it made me feel as if he was trying the old Hollywood technique of neutering the actor for the sake of power. I am actually one of the fans that posted about putting Cath in Steve’s place, but meant it sarcastically

I have noticed that PL seems to assassinate the characters the actors portray when he wants to push another character. The first 2 seasons were built around a certain dynamic. Season 3 brought on Cath to fill in for Grace Park while she was out at the expense of the “McDanno” dynamic the show was built around. It would not have been a problem except that the character of Danny starting getting more snarky and sounding less sympathetic or understanding of Steve’s feelings. It made him come across as a jerk. In season 4 they brought in Grover. Since Scott had the 5 episode out clause in his contract the character’s became even more of a jerk and it’s continued as if he’s being punished for daring to know how to play the Hollywood game. I imagine Scott growing up in Hollywood gives him an advantage over Alex who comes from a different country and culture. Scott comes plays the role and does his side projects during his off time. After 7 years I think he’s earned enough that if Alex isn’t staying he sure is heck isn’t staying. I’ve just read somewhere that Grace Park has taken a role in a project and Daniel will be producing. These actors sound like they are ready to move on.

Thank you Gracenotpark for clarifying the dropped storyline situation. I’ve complained about that on other boards. It seems like they only throw in relationships to add a shallow layer to the characters instead of fully exploring what motivates them. I suppose it would take too much thought for the writers. Alex is a character driven actor and this show is not showcasing his talents or giving him an opportunity to branch out and do other things. I can completely understand him wanting to leave even if his health wasn’t involved. He’s not a racehorse that can be worked until he’s no longer useful. He deserves better and more respect. Judging from the first season ratings PL will not garner the results with Mcgyver that he did with H50 and maybe not even a second season. I’d be more appreciative of what I have, he’s no Chuck Lorre.

LOL, Peter’s greatest payback for all his disloyalty and egotism would be to have both Hawaii Five-O AND MacGuyver cancelled this year! I can see MacGuyver being cancelled. The numbers aren’t great and they’re going down with each episode. Unfortunately for Alex and the rest of the cast, who are tired of this show and who may want to move on to other projects, the ratings for Hawaii Five-O are skyrocketing this year. Fans are discovering the show on other platforms and tuning in to see it on Friday nights. The November 11 episode got 9.8 million viewers. That’s a great number. So I can really see CBS giving the show an 8th year.

We don’t know if any other actor besides Alex has even signed for an 8th year! Scott’s gone for sure. Daniel might stay, but it sounds like he wants to move on to his own projects. Chi will surely stay, he’s only been on a few years and he loves the show. Jorge would probably stay on, too, especially if they beefed up his role. So, everything is really up in the air. I love Grace and think that she’s really wasted on the show, too. Daniel is awesome and I hope they give him more air time this year and next year. I do like stories focusing on the other core characters, plus it will give Alex a chance to sit down and rest.

I don’t know.. Cleary people watch everything. If they watch every single spin off of law & order, they can even watch H50 with a new team..Lenkov just said “as long as someone watches we go on”.. Sure the reference to Alex wanting more money is cold. For that an expiring contract is enough.. and he’s already signed for the 8th season.. I have to say, I agree with most of alex’s views on the characters. The way they built McGarrett it’s impossible to make him return back to Cath..She’s been able to stay away from McG for 2 years.. And Lynn started with a great potential, but they’re portraying her as the girl with long legs, and they chose an actress who is very busy in other projects.. I’ve always wondered why they never used a local actresses to play McGarret’s/Danno’s love interest.. they would be more keen on staying on the show with little screen time every now and then, instead of once every 15 episodes, or less..

Yep, the last 2 eps got a 1.2 and then a 1.4…this is higher than some shows, even on CBS, are getting on weeknights. And historically, ratings for Show tick up a little in January. Who knows, but I’m clear that 5-0 will definitely get a S8.

The show’s getting the best demographics ever, bringing in lots of new young viewers, which are deeply coveted by the networks. I read that fans are finding it on Netflix and binge-watching all the back seasons. lol, I just did that! A friend gave me a gift membership to Netflix this past April. I watched the five available seasons 3-4 times through! Sigh. It was wonderful. The these new fans are showing up on Friday night to watch the show. Episodes this year average 1 million more viewers per episode than last year. It’s amazing. This is exactly what happened to NCIS. Then it just shot into the stratosphere.

Many prayers for you to get well, Alex, so that you can enjoy your eighth and last year on Five-O.

He is one of the main reasons the show is such a success. I heard it was all the stunts if so talk to him and reduce them or get stunt doubles for him.Help him realize how important he is to the show and try to work together so hopefully he will want to stay. If he is tired I understand that I work on an ambulance I see peoples heads tore open all you can imagine I get burnt out but I know seeing that stuff is all part of it.

Hi Michelle
Alex does have stunt doubles, and he’s had them since day one on H50.
Unfortunately Alex is one of those people who does not know half measures. He gives every project his all. It nearly cost him his health in Season 2 when he needed to go to rehab.
Having the responsability of being no one on the call sheet of the show, weighs hard on him. He knows that the leader on set, sets the tone on set. And he also knows that not only the Hawaiian community but also many others rely on the show for jobs
It is a heavy load to carry and it does not only come down to stunts and hard physical scenes.

I really don’t get why Lenkov said he had no idea why Alex was leaving. Alex said he was physically hurt, which is a good reason to leave (although of course I wish he would stay🙂 ) Nothing–not even a successful TV show–is worth your mental and physical health. Plus maybe he just wants to spend more time with his family.
I would probably stop watching it if Alex left, but I did read an article that said the woman who played Alicia Brown might return and her character might take over for him; that might make the show worth watching, at least over having Danny or Chin take Steve’s place. I love both Chin and Danny but it would just be weird having either of them in Steve’s/Alex’s place.

Many HF-0 fans hate Lenkov’s vision of the show, and the direction it has taken. It’s practically unrecognizable from the first few seasons – not enough of the things fans loved early on, and too many unnecessary characters IMO, Jerry and Grover to name two. They did have to fill the gap though, when Caan became less available.
Remember the good old days when Alex was Peter’s Golden Boy, their ‘Big Kahuna’? That seems a distant memory. Now he has his new show to gush over, which isn’t very good, IMO. He wouldn’t get the same syndication deal CBS got for HF-0, so it could very well get cancelled at the end of the season.
HF-0 is nothing without Alex as Steve. I would not watch it, if they continued without him. Scott would probably leave too. Does Lenkov actually believe he’d maintain his audience, if the fans’ two favourites both left?
I believe Lenkov should get off his high horse, and listen to Alex’s views about Catherine ( a character that many, many fans hate/dislike immensely), and dump her for good. I don’t Tweet, so I’ve never interacted with Peter personally, but it seems he can’t take even constructive criticism, so I’m not surprised that he freezes out anyone who disagrees with his Grand Design. He’s let his position as ‘boss’ go to his head.

A pair Hawaii five-star blokes by ANOOSKA TUCKER-EVANS, SUNDAY MAIL (SA), JANUARY 30, 2011 12:05AM FULL INTERVIEW
The original Hawaii Five-O ran for 12 seasons, but Caan says he can’t imagine being there for even seven.

“I don’t think I could do it unless it became something that I was passionate about,” he says.

O’Loughlin isn’t so fast to rule it out though.

“Well, I’ve seen his contract and he’s not going anywhere,” O’Loughlin laughs.

“The thought of being on a show for seven years is really scary to me because the most important thing to me is longevity of career and I think it’s true that you can get typecast in TV.

“But I think if we get to seven years, by that stage we will both be producers. We will be running the show, making obscene amounts of money, and we’ll both be perfectly happy with the way things are going because we’d both have creative control.”

But Caan is a different case. He was literally born into the inner circle of Hollywood. He’s never been short of money and even when he was starting out, his name got him in the door for roles. Alex came here from the other side of the world and slept on friends’ couches during the lean years. He knows what it is to do without. He knows rejection. And he has also been classically trained as an actor. He’s put in the years of work. Caan has always been cavalier about the show, it seems to me. He’s criticized it in interviews, not shown up at show events, and generally given the impression that he’s there for the amusement but doesn’t need the job and would rather not live in Hawaii. Alex has never been like tha. Until recently he has never had a bad word to say about the show, which tells me that something has changed.
I also agree that too many characters have been added. I don’t like Lou or Jerry, and I really don’t get why Daniel and Grace haven’t complained about them. Lou and Jerry reduce Daniel and Grace’s parts even more. The entire show has changed and that’s got to be hard for Alex. Especially if no one is listening to him.

Sadly, I think he’s being affected by the ways of some of the American culture. I’m only speaking from personal experience and not from the entertainment industry. I’ve worked for many employers in my life and I’m a few years older than these guys. Some American employers take the stance that their employees should be grateful that they have a job and are earning a paycheck. It doesn’t madder if it’s a good one in my case I work social services. I imagine in the entertainment industry it’s worse since the pay is much better and it’s all about the fame and fortune with the “Hollywood” industry. I’ve learned unfortunately through my elders and my own jobs that if you present a cavalier attitude toward a job as if you can take it or leave it you may be taken a little more serious because they cannot hold the job over your head, however those that come giving 100% and show they care are taken for granted. They seem to think since these people show so much dedication they don’t have to worry about them going anywhere. This seems like this may be what Alex is experiencing and I hate this for him. I hate this for many people that come with dreams only to be negatively affected by the power and capitalism game that plays in some careers.

Yes, Ally
I also hope that Alex will be rewarded for his dedication and hard work. It also breaks my heart when continues work and giving 100% all the time is taken for granted, while demandng people are handle with kid gloves and “rewarded” for every little thing they do.

Scott has worked just as hard as Alex has. Scott dropped out of school and joined a rap group at 15. By 19 he’d been cast in his first film, 21 years ago. He didn’t go after the part. A director saw him perform in the group, told him to show up and then cast him in the film. I absolutely love Scott on screen. I didn’t know him before Hawaii Five-O. I instantly fell in love with Danny, with Danny and Grace, with Danny and Rachel, and with especially Danny and Steve. They have extraordinary chemistry on screen.

In all the interviews Alex did for Episode 150, he repeatedly said that he loves the McDanno work most on the show, because Scott and he get to play and they actually surprise each other with ends up on screen. They manage to still be creative within the confines of the show. Alex stressed that this relationship is the core relationship on the show. So he’ll miss Scott very deeply next year.

Scott trained and studied in a different way. He joined a theater group and he’s been working there continuously for over 20 years. He was achieving the same results and doing the same work as Alex was, just in a theater group rather than in an acting academy. Scott writes, directs, produces and acts in plays he’s written. He wrote, produced and acted in an independent film MERCY, which got good reviews. The plays he’s performed since he’s been on Hawaii Five-O have gotten excellent reviews. I’ve been following them. He’s published two beautiful photography volumes (I love photography), and he’s also published several compilations of his plays. Scott is highly accomplished in many artistic areas. Scott and Alex took very different paths, but they arrived at the same place — great actors.

I agree, Scott has never taken the show seriously, and I’ve noticed that he’s often absent at cast events. I was happy and surprised to see him at SOTB this past September. I sense that since it’s his last year on the show, he felt an emotional need to be there. It would be his last time. I hope he’s memorizing every shared emotional moment with Alex and everyone else on the set. He doesn’t know it now, but he will deeply miss everyone.

I’ve vacationed in Hawaii three times. I’ve visited Oahu, Maui and Kauai. It’s a beautiful place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there, either. It’s too small. I can drive all the way around Oahu in a day. I live on a land mass that takes five-ten days and thousands of miles to cross. I just need a more expansive place to live. Scott is an LA baby, born and bred. I understand where he’s coming from. I intensely love where I live, in the San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California, as much as he loves LA. His life, his love, his friends, and all of his creative projects are in LA.

Scott has worked hard, yes, and he is talented. But his name still opened doors for him. He grew up among the children of other big Hollywood names. He has famous friends who perform in his plays. There’s no way around the fact that the Caan name does have an impact, but Scott has the talent to back it up. I’m aware of his other projects. I get that he loves LA. I wouldn’t want to live in Hawaii, either, because I’m a four seasons weather kind of girl! I love the dynamic between Scott and Alex and I think it’s an important part of the show…although the writing has changed a lot and Danny has come off as more whiny and negative in recent seasons. So far, this season seems much better. Is it definite that this is Scott’s last year?

We don’t know officially. We know that Scott did sign for seven years and then reduced his number of episodes three years ago. He hasn’t said anything about signing on for an 8th year. He’s on a movie set right now. He’s being cast in movies. I strongly suspect that he wants to move on. I’ll be amazed (and delighted) if he signs on for an 8th year. We don’t know anything. I’m just speculating. I could be wrong.